The Dallas Morning News: As Dallas’ second deck park gains $10.5 million in private funds, will public sector join the cause?

A day like today makes us proud to be in Dallas, a place where people are willing to support important and transformative projects that build equity in our city and create opportunities for the future.

This morning, Mayor Eric Johnson, along with former Mayors Mike Rawlings and Ron Kirk, announced $10.5 million in new philanthropic support for the construction of the Southern Gateway Park in Oak Cliff. The green space will span Interstate 35E between Ewing and Marsalis avenues.

This traditionally neglected and underserved part of Dallas was cut in two by the freeway in the 1950s. Now, it is set to become home to the city’s second deck park.

Private gifts are critical to advancing this park, and the city should be proud that major donors have stepped forward to help fund an effort that will build up Dallas’ southern half.

Today’s announcement includes a $5 million commitment from the Rees-Jones Foundation, a $3.5 million grant from the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Fund through the Communities Foundation of Texas, a $1 million contribution from the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, and an additional $1 million contribution from the Eugene McDermott Foundation, bringing its total commitment to more than $2 million.

With these funds, the Southern Gateway Public Green Foundation has now raised $62 million of the $82 million needed for the first phase of the park’s development.

That is tremendous momentum, and while there is a great deal more work to be done, these grants raise our confidence that southern Dallas will get a great deck park that will help reconnect severed neighborhoods. That possibility alone is already boosting opportunity and interest in the area.

We also hope transportation officials are paying attention to this development. As we wrote last month, the Southern Gateway park needs a greater commitment of public funds to construct the deck that will support the entire 5-acre park. The sooner those transportation funds are committed, the sooner Dallas can begin to raise the money necessary to fully realize the park as envisioned.

This project has the chance to revive overlooked neighborhoods in Oak Cliff and offer an outstanding amenity to residents who have not benefited from a fair share of public and private investment.

Today’s news is a great win. But it’s also an invitation for many others to join the cause.